250 FISHES AND FISHING. 



About half way between Chertsey Bridge and 

 Laleham, in the Thames, there is a spot called the 

 Rocks ; they appear as if large masses of the bank had 

 been excavated, and fallen over into very deep water, 

 some of the irregular parts being, when the water is 

 low, only a foot, or even less, under the surface, 

 whilst around probably the water is from fifteen to 

 twenty feet deep. With a long light rod, a fresh 

 wind at the angler's back, a long blow line, and the 

 hook baited with a natural stone or other fly, or a 

 grasshopper, often from the Surrey side, many large 

 chub were taken ; but of late years that part called 

 Laleham borough is enclosed, and I do not know if 

 the Thames can now be reached in that part, at least 

 certainly not without permission of the owner of the 

 land. 



My family had lodgings at Chertsey in the autumn 

 of 1826, and I went on a Saturday, and returned on 

 the Monday evening, or Tuesday morning. I had 

 taken an acquaintance with me on one occasion, and 

 on the Sunday night I told him that the fisherman 

 whom I employed was going with me to net a piece 

 of backwater, where we expected to find some pike. 

 At six o'clock the next morning we went to the scene 

 of action. I gave my visitor the cork line to pay 

 over the side of the punt, and I did the same with 

 the lead line, whilst the fisherman made the circuit 



